The Duhaldes hate the Kirchners, the Kirchners hate the Duhaldes, and Mr Menem, the former president, hates them all, vowing to take revenge in the 2007 presidential election for what he says was a "historic fraud" last time.. Usually they meet in the gilded halls of the Foreign Office or on the elegant seventh floor of the State Department in Washington. But for three days this weekend, Condoleezza Rice and Jack Straw are mulling over the problems of the world in the Deep South state where the US Secretary of State was born. "Condi comes home," proclaimed the local radio station as the plane carrying her and the British Foreign Secretary landed yesterday.
Cristina Fernandez Kirchner is from 15 to 25 points ahead in polls. Ms Gonzalez Duhalde was forced into saying: "Of course I will be happy if I win, but I am taking part in the election for my ideals, not for results. I don't think anything big should be made of the result."But it will take a lot more than one election result to smash the Duhalde machine. The President needs dozens more seats in parliament to stabilise his position.The paradox of modern Argentinian politics is that although almost all politicians in power calls themselves Peronists, the movement has split into at least three factions. One report claimed some goods are being distributed by the Ministry of Social Action, headed by the President's sister.Still, the Kirchner campaign appears to be effective.
Now he believes he can squash the Duhalde machine and take over himself.The battle is reminiscent of the struggles that racked New York and Chicago in the early 20th century, with the Duhaldes representing machine politics and the Kirchners promising civic reform and an end to endemic corruption Whether the Kirchners are sincere is open to doubt. Newspapers suggest both sides are flooding poorer areas with money and household goods - from fridges to mattresses and roofing materials - to get out the vote. As it was, he only narrowly qualified for a second round of voting, which never happened because his adversary, Carlos Menem, withdrew first.But since 2003, Mr Kirchner has had a run of good luck with the economy - still recovering from a near-collapse in 2001-02 - and earned widespread admiration for his willingness to play a tough game with Argentina's creditors at the International Monetary Fund. The Duhaldes have run a mighty political machine from Buenos Aires for years, and used it in the 2003 presidential election to back Mr Kirchner.